Policy

[saintsue]

Morning Everyone

Has anyone please got a copy or know where i can get one? A copy of the policy for Mobile Phones

Has anyone sent letters to parents about useing mobile phones in your house?
If you have what did you put in the letter?
Thanks Sue xxxx

[bunyip]

Your policy needs to be about what you do with mobile phones and what you allow with mobile phones. There are any number of different angles on this, so I doubt whether mine or anyone else's will be an awful lot of use to you.
eg. My phone has neither Bluetooth nor a camera, so the possibilities are very different from most.

Just lay out what you want in your setting and what safeguards you put in place for whatever your perception of the risk is.

:)

[cherry]

I found this on Devon County Council Site.
It might help with wording your own policy :thumbsup:


Use of Mobile Phones and Cameras
I understand that if I store personal details about other people on my computer or any digital format (including mobile phones and digital cameras), I will probably need to notify the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for Data Protection.

Mobile Phones
As a registered Childminder I recognise that it is important for me to be able to communicate with parents instantly. I use my landline phone when I am at home and my personal mobile phone / a mobile phone designated for my business only if I am out.

Mobile phone technology has developed significantly to include internet access and wireless connections as well as camera, video and sound recording and sending and receiving messages. They are now an extremely effective method of communication, which can only be an advantage regarding Safeguarding children. However, I understand that there is a need to balance the advantages with the potential for misuse, and intend to protect the children in my care with the following procedures:

• Ensuring that ALL visitors to my home during Childminding hours are asked to leave their mobile phone in a safe storage area
• Ensuring that any Assistant working with me will leave their personal phone in a safe storage area
• Ensuring my phone is kept out of the reach of children
• Permitting children from the age of XXXX years (agreed with parents) to have their phone about their person. However, it must not be used to take photos or access the internet

Taking of photos with a Mobile Phone or Camera

Either:

It is my policy not to take photos whilst Childminding

Or:

The use of photos to support observation, assessment and planning and to provide a pictorial record for parents has become part of my practice. To ensure that everyone in my setting is protected I have the following procedures in place:
• Pictures are taken only by myself with the written permission of parents. Parents indicate if they are willing for photos of their children to be used for: sharing with them; supporting Observation, Assessment & Planning; children’s records; advertising (in which case how and where)
• I will avoid putting myself into any compromising situation which could be misinterpreted and lead to possible allegations.
• Pictures are printed as soon as possible and then deleted
OR
• Pictures are transferred to my computer which is password protected
• I have registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office for Data Protection
• Any stored pictures are deleted once a child leaves my setting

[rickysmiths]

I found this on Devon County Council Site.
It might help with wording your own policy :thumbsup:


Use of Mobile Phones and Cameras
I understand that if I store personal details about other people on my computer or any digital format (including mobile phones and digital cameras), I will probably need to notify the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for Data Protection.

Mobile Phones
As a registered Childminder I recognise that it is important for me to be able to communicate with parents instantly. I use my landline phone when I am at home and my personal mobile phone / a mobile phone designated for my business only if I am out.

No, I use my mobile all the time indoors and out and it is my personal and only mobile

Mobile phone technology has developed significantly to include internet access and wireless connections as well as camera, video and sound recording and sending and receiving messages. They are now an extremely effective method of communication, which can only be an advantage regarding Safeguarding children. However, I understand that there is a need to balance the advantages with the potential for misuse, and intend to protect the children in my care with the following procedures:

• Ensuring that ALL visitors to my home during Childminding hours are asked to leave their mobile phone in a safe storage area
• Ensuring that any Assistant working with me will leave their personal phone in a safe storage area
• Ensuring my phone is kept out of the reach of children
• Permitting children from the age of XXXX years (agreed with parents) to have their phone about their person. However, it must not be used to take photos or access the internet

How odd to allow children to keep their phone on them but take them away from adults? This is the very group that I say I will take their phone from them when they come in and it will be kept in a safe place until they leave. There is no need for any children in my care to have a phone while they are in my home.
Taking of photos with a Mobile Phone or Camera

Either:

It is my policy not to take photos whilst Childminding

Or:

The use of photos to support observation, assessment and planning and to provide a pictorial record for parents has become part of my practice. To ensure that everyone in my setting is protected I have the following procedures in place:
• Pictures are taken only by myself with the written permission of parents. Parents indicate if they are willing for photos of their children to be used for: sharing with them; supporting Observation, Assessment & Planning; children’s records; advertising (in which case how and where)

or my registered assistant during the course of a working day.

• I will avoid putting myself into any compromising situation which could be misinterpreted and lead to possible allegations.
• Pictures are printed as soon as possible and then deleted

OR
• Pictures are transferred to my computer which is password protected
• I have registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office for Data Protection
• Any stored pictures are deleted once a child leaves my setting

Why delete them? If they are stored on a password protected computer. I keep photos of my mined children when they have left me for two reasons. One because they were part of this childminding home and there may be good pictures of them on an outing or doing an activity that I want to show prospective parents or give a copy to current parents (I have written permission to share photos), I also keep photos of the parents and child in their folder when they leave so if an allegation or complaint were made in the years to come I have a record visually of the family.

[saintsue]

Thank you thats great xxxxx